The first repatriation flights from Athens bringing home thousands of Israelis stranded abroad amid the war with Iran were set to arrive at Ben Gurion airport overnight Wednesday.

Israeli airlines El Al, Arkia and Israir have started to gradually operate repatriation flights to help fly back an estimated 100,000 Israelis who have been unable to return home since Israel shuttered its airspace on Saturday.

The Transportation Ministry and aviation authorities on Tuesday evening approved a partial reopening of Israel’s airspace in stages, subject to security developments. The country’s airspace has been shut since Saturday, when Israel and the US launched a major joint military strike on Iran and the Islamic Republic responded with barrages of missile fire.

Under the current framework, Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport, the country’s main international gateway, will operate 24 hours a day, but will open in a limited manner. In the first 24 hours, one passenger aircraft per hour carrying about 200 people will be permitted.

After that, the frequency will be increased to two narrow-body aircraft every hour, or one wide-body, subject to approval by the Home Front Command and security authorities. From Friday, some 10,000 passengers are expected to arrive at Ben Gurion Airport per day. As of now, only inbound flights have been approved.

Starting Wednesday night, the first El Al flight will bring passengers from Athens to Ben Gurion Airport. Throughout Thursday, El Al will operate another eight repatriation flights returning........

© The Times of Israel